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Accu-Chek on prescription ???

T

terrybardsley

Newbie
Messages
3
I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have been prescribed Simvastatin, Metformin and Lisinopril . My wife got me an Accu-Chek blood tester . I took the pre-printed form to my doctor to get the lancets and strips on prescription but they wont prescribe either . Can anyone confirm this is correct or not please .
 

Hello and welcome

I was given an Accu-chek system at the hospital, as I am type 1 and on Insulin. Type 2's don't get free lancets and strips from the doctor. So as far as I know, right now, yes, it is correct I'm afraid. I'm sure more type 2's will be along to help you out. Best wishes RRB
 
terrybardsley said:
I took the pre-printed form to my doctor to get the lancets and strips on prescription but they wont prescribe either . Can anyone confirm this is correct or not please .
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It really is a lottery whether type 2's get test strips on prescription or not, make a case to your gp that you want to get good control of your diabetes from the onset to avoid future complications.
 
I got test strips on prescription. 50 a month. This was just for 3 months while I worked out what carbs were safe for me, and in what amounts. That has now been stopped.
 
terrybardsley said:
Hmmmm so it might be worth pestering them , thanks guys
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You don't try you don't get
 
Which of course is completely pointless. The HBA1C is the only test that the doctor can usefully provide - there's no point them testing your current levels at some random point in your day.

I have an accu-check and an enlightened surgery, who prescribe me as many strips as I want. I was using 7 per day but this has reduced to 3-4 per day as I get used to the low carb diet I'm following. I would have terrible control without this ability to test.

I suggest that you pester your surgery to provide strips on prescription - but in the meantime look at perhaps the SD Codefree meter on ebay (very cheap strips) or other online places where you might get strips for your accu-chek at a better price than the high street.
 
Hi you didn't say which accu check meter you have , I use an Aviva. The cheapest place at the moment is chemist direct. but you do have to shop around as the prices and availability vary week by week. Some will do VAT free if you send them a declaration, others will give free delivery if you by over a certain value.
Best of luck with your GP. I now get 4 tubs of strips a year, and my wife none, because she controls by diet only.
 
I just don't understand why they have taken the strips off us. With regular self monitoring i had got my sugar levels down to a good level then i was told by the doctor i could no longer have the strips on prescription and they will monitor me every 12 months at the surgery, Fine I thought went along last Nov it was 5.5. All good, Then on Monday I went into hospital for a operation i was 6.3 before i went down to theater then after the op I shot up to 15.9 then 16.5 within a few hours but they discharged me and told me to go to my GP the next day for a follow up, So along I pop to the doctors who looks on the computer and says we don't have any recent results from you! November is the last we have (yes I know this) so have you been testing at home what levels have you been getting (Well NO you wont give me and strips or lancets) Ohh come back in a few weeks and we will check them again so I am left sitting here panicking now in case it keeps rising. Is it just me or is this just plain wrong to mess with people like this?

Rant over
 

I did have unlimited strips for my prescription Accu Chek up until my last HbA1c. I am now reduced to 50 a month and have to fund the remaining strips myself. It really is a postcode lottery, some GP's will prescribe, others wont.
 
I'm lucky and get 200 every 3 weeks from my gps. However being on insulin and changing doses all the time don't have much choice.
 
I thought - in my innocence - that all type 1's got sufficient testing strips by precription.

But a friend of mine has a recently diagnosed type 1 teenage son and she had to have an argument with the surgery, and get the consultant to ring up, before the GP would give him more than 50 strips a month. And he is on insulin and on the waiting list for a pump
 
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